Future Forest Forum 2023

Pioneering work and new standards for the forest of the future

With over 350 participants and sold-out hotels throughout Blankenburg, our Forum 2023 set new standards for networking between players in the forestry sector, business, science and the start-up scene. We not only had high-calibre speakers such as Klaus Töpfer in attendance, but also attracted prominent visitors to Blankenburg with a varied mix of keynotes, hands-on activities, various networking opportunities and our innovation fair.

DAY 1 - FRIDAY 8th SEPTEMBER

Future Forest Stage (GERMAN)

International Stage (ENGLISH)

Innovation Arena (GERMAN)

09:30

Opening

10:00

Keynote

Dr. Benjamin Kowalski & Christoph zu Stolberg (Future Forest) - The jouney so far: update on the state of the Future Forest Innovation Ecosystem

11:00

High-level Keynote by Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer (ENG)

Former executive director of United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and former "Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety" in Germany.

Panel (GER)

Prof. Klaus Töpfer, Dr. Christian Bock (Rentenbank), Dr. Stefanie von Scheliha-Dawid (Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft), Dr. Benjamin Kowalski (FFI) - Using the crisis as an innovation engine – new solutions for the forest of the future.

13:00

Session

Prof. Detlef Sprinz, Ulrich Grauvogel, Sabine-Schulte Beckhause und Dr. Christian Spindler - Karbonsenkenwirtschaft im Faktencheck: 50 Shades of Sink Economy?

Session

David Annic (La WoodTech) - Creating national ecosystems to support wood-based startups

Session

EIP Agri - Eine Blaupause für die Zusammenarbeit von Startups und Waldwirtschaft? Vier Innovationsprojekten zu Direktsaat, Robotik, Sensorik und Biotechnologie stellen sich vor:

Forest Forward: Mit Direktsaat die Aufforstung revolutionieren (inklusive Keimfähigkeitsschnelltest für Forstsaatgut)

RoboForest: Ein vollautomatisiertes System zur Kartierung und Pflege von aufgeforsteten Flächen

Opt4Forst: Optimierung der forstlichen Pflanzung mit pilzlichen Symbionten

Direktsaat im Forst: Forest and business model innovation enabled by sustainable BioTec solutions

Rafael Reisenhofer & Christina Lax (hosted by Liechtensteingruppe) - Forestry in the age of big data

14:30

Keynote

Martin Janner (Förster des Jahres 2023) - Ansichten eines forstlichen Handwerkers im Sturm der Veränderungen

Session

Aari - Biomaterials industry innovation and the future potential of your / German forest assets

Keynotes

Martin Ledwon (UPM) - Bio-based materials as a key to defossilizing societies

Suzann Heinemann (Greensign) - Die Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie von Greensign

15:00

Panel

Martin Janner, Monika Runkel, Peter Gaffert, Gabriel von dem Bussche - Neue Systeme und Werkzeuge für die Waldwirtschaft - was braucht die Praxis wirklich?

Panel

Staatssekretärin Stefanie Pötzsch (Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Tourismus, Landwirtschaft und Forsten, Land Sachsen-Anhalt) , Alexander Zeihe (Ecosystem Value Association e.V.), Suzann Heinemann (Greensign) - Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien in Unternehmen: Chance für Startups und Waldbesitz?

16:00

Future Forest Award - Startup-Pitches from Future Forest Initiative's Batch#2

17:15

Innovation Hike - experience 6 innovative ideas in practice

Movie "Der Waldmacher" (GER)

19:00 open end

Networking evening in the castle with fire bowls, live music and nightly castle tour

PRESENTATION OF THE FUTURE FOREST AWARD 2023 (20:00)

DAY 2 - SATURDAY 9th SEPTEMBER

	Future Forest Stage (DE)	International Stage (DE + ENG)	Innovation Arena (DE)
09:30	Breakfast-Talk with Sven Schulze (Minister für Wirtschaft, Tourismus, Landwirtschaft und Forsten des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt) and Marianna Ackermann (Tagungskompetenz) Innovation Marketplace (09:30 - 11:00)
10:00	Keynote Kevin Hobbs - Kevin Hobbs - The Story of Trees - is our story, your story and my story
11:00	BEGINNING OF BARCAMP Marianna Ackermann & Ben Kowalski - Session planning
12:00 - 14:00 Uhr	Lunch break
12:15 Uhr	Future Forest Barcamp 2023 Our successful Barcamp format is entering the next round and is becoming even more diverse. Numerous topics in the form of workshops, discussions and inputs are waiting for you. Exciting sessions have already been submitted, including with Boris Voelkel on the subject of Purpose Economy or a workshop on agroforestry by our partner Project Together. You can also submit sessions, also on new topics. Write us your suggestion to info@futureforest.de or spontaneously use our theme boards directly on site! All topics will be presented and planned on Saturday at 11 a.m. You then choose your favorite sessions and can listen, discuss, learn, get involved and forge new alliances in the Future Forest Barcamp.
	Barcamp-Highlights: Purpose Economy Keynote: Boris Voelkel (Voelkel Naturkostsafterei) - Gesunde Lebensmittel aus gesunden Strukturen Discussion: Boris Voelkel & Christopher Schulz (For Tomorrow) - Welche Lehren haben Gemeinwohl-Unternehmer für die Waldwirtschaft und die Etablierung neuer Geschäftsmodelle für Ökosystemleistungen?
	Barcamp-Highlights: Agroforestry Sigi Tatschl - Essbare Landschaften und Essbare Städte: eine kulinarische Reise und neue Inspiration für die Waldwirtschaft. Farm Food Climate, DeFAF, VIVO Carbon & Uni Göttingen- Agroforst: Innovationstreiber und Bindeglied zwischen Wald- und Landwirtschaft
	Barcamp Highlights: Innovation Breeze Technologies - A new approch to wildfire detection - a network of gas sensors for the Harz Prof. Detlef Sprinz - Der Business Model Canvas für waldbasierte CO2-Senken aus der Sicht von Waldeigentümern
	Barcamp Highlights: Smart Forestry Prof. Ina Schiering & Prof. Andreas Ligocki - Smart Services für den Wald: Was brauchen wir? Was hilft uns und dem Wald? Kathrin Kirchler - Ocell and its approach to digitally assisted forestry
12:15 Uhr	Barcamp-Slot 1 (Purpose Economy)		Barcamp-Slot 1 (Innovation)
13:00 Uhr	Barcamp-Slot 2 (Innovation)	Barcamp-Slot 2 (Agroforst)	Barcamp-Slot 2 (Smart Forestry)
14:00 Uhr	Barcamp-Slot 3 (Agroforst)	Barcamp-Slot 3 (Smart Forestry)	Barcamp-Slot 3 (Purpose Economy)
15:15 Uhr	Barcamp-Slot 4 (Innovation)	Barcamp-Slot 4 (Agroforst)	Barcamp-Slot 4 (Smart Forestry)
16:00 Uhr	Recap and closing ceremony (Ending 16:30 Uhr)
	Evening programme

Testing of SilviBio's bio-based soil additive "Water Steward", which improves water retention in the soil in particular. This not only increases the efficiency of seed use, but also allows foresters to extend the planting season and select a wider range of sites.

Direktsaat im Forst - EIP #1🌱

by Samuel Potthoff
Innovative no-till solutions in response to limited nursery capacity, as well as the development of different approaches to increase planting success - from germination tests, germination-enhancing seed coating, to user-friendly planting equipment and sensor-based monitoring.

Forst Forward - EIP #2🌱

by Jacob Rohn & Jens Vernskühler
Root protection, nutrient protection and microbial biostimulation - The targeted use of fungal symbionts is intended to optimise the growth success, resilience and cultural success of forest plantations.

OPT4FORST - EIP #3🌱

by Matthias Hölscher
By developing an autonomous robot with LiDAR sensors and precise navigation, the surroundings of seedlings can be automatically cleared of unwanted growth and their condition monitored with the help of a multi-sensor system.

RoboForest - EIP#4🌱

by Prof. Thomas Linkugel

Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer

Federal Minister for the Environment, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, awarded the Federal Cross of Merit and inducted into Kyoto's Earth Hall of Fame - Klaus Töpfer has always set the pace for sustainability. We too want to learn more about this pioneering spirit!
Martin Janner

German Forester of the Year 2023 and author of "The Forest of the Future" - Martin Janner shows his pioneering approach to forestry and forest management and takes a critical look at the question, which role innovation can play for future forestry systems.
Suzann Heinemann

GreenSign Institut GmbH
Prof. Dr. Ina Schiering

Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences
Boris Voelkel

Voelkel Naturkostsafterei - traditional company with a focus on the common good
Sigi Tatschl

Siegfried (Sigi) Tatschl is a specialist in permaculture and rare fruit varieties. In his concepts of the Edible Landscape and the Edible City, fruits and their communal tasting play a central role. As part of a culinary tour, Sigi Tatschl will inspire us to think in new ways about the forests of tomorrow.
Dr. Christian Bock

Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank
Monika Runkel

Landesforsten Rheinland-Pfalz
Dr. Benjamin Kowalski

Future Forest Initiative